This invention relates to edge guards of the type which are applied to the trailing edges of swinging closures in automobiles, commonly referred to as door guards or door edge guards.
Many of applicant's patents relate to door edge guards of the self-retaining metallic type. Such edge guards are desirable because they provide superior characteristics for protection, appearance, and retention without the use of any separate fastening devices. Over more recent years applicant has developed insulated door edge guards of the self-retaining metallic type in which a non-metallic insulating material is cooperatively associated with the metal channel forming the door edge guard so that the metal of the door edge guard is insulated from the metal of the edge on which the edge guard is installed. This insulating feature enables such door guards (and the door's edges, too) to maintain their appearance and functional characteristics longer by minimizing the risk of development of problems which might otherwise occur when a dissimilar metal of the door edge guard is directly installed on the painted metal edge. The nature of these improvements is explained in detail in a number of applicant's patents and will not be repeated here in the interest of brevity.
While most of applicant's patents involve door edge guards in which a bead is formed at the distal end of one or both of the legs of the metal channel by reverse turning the distal end or ends back against the leg or legs, it is possible for a door edge guard to be constructed which does not have any beads so formed. While the formation of such beads results in a preferred product because of the increased strength and gripping power imparted to the legs, applicant has heretofore recognized that for certain uses a door edge guard whose legs consist solely of a single thickness of the metal channel can perform reasonably satisfactory, although such a product is deemed not as good as one having beaded distal ends formed by reverse turning.
Applicant's concept of utilizing single thickness metal legs for a self-retaining door edge guard channel goes back at least as early as his application Ser. No. 216,483 filed Dec. 15, 1980, abandoned in favor of pending continuation Ser. No. 575,430 filed Jan. 31, 1984.
Applicant's inventions also comprise the use of extrusion and co-extrusion processes to fabricate door edge guards, as disclosed in his pending allowed application Ser. No. 636,880, filed Aug. 2, 1984. According to the inventions of those processes a flat metal strip is processed through an extrusion or co-extrusion line which imparts plastic insulating material selectively to the metal strip. The metal strip is then coiled, while still in the flat, for subsequent processing by roll-forming apparatus which imparts the desired cross sectional shape to the strip thereby forming the door guard. One of the advantages of these processes is that different colored plastics may be extruded or co-extruded onto the metal strip and the metal wound into particular colored coils which can be stored and then subsequently uncoiled as required in order to provide desired colors for various specific door guards.
The present invention relates to an improvement in a door guard of the type which has single thickness metal legs, particularly relating to an improvement in an insulated metal edge guard. One aspect of the invention involves constructing the legs of the insulated metal edge guard in such a way that improved stiffening, gripping and retention characteristics are obtained in the context of a single thickness metal leg. Moreover, a related aspect is that the edge guard of this invention can be fabricated by the advantageous process described in application Ser. No. 636,880.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to a number of specific examples, in general the invention relates to the formation of the legs in such a way that stiffening ridges are imparted to the legs either in the metal or in the insulation, but in a manner which does not require the reverse turning of the distal ends of the legs back against themselves. It is possible to perform these procedures in conjunction with the extrusion or co-extrusion process wherein insulation is applied to the metal strip while the metal strip is still basically in a condition which allows it to be wound into a coil for subsequent uncoiling, as needed, to form the insulated metal strip into the general U-shaped cross section of the edge guard.
Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed. The invention can be practiced with insulation on the interior of the metal channel and/or on the exterior of the channel, although it is preferred that there always be insulation on the interior so that the metal of the edge guard channel is insulated from the trailing edge onto which the edge guard is installed. Insulation on the exterior can provide desired coloration and/or color coordination schemes.
The foregoing features, advantages and benefits of the invention, along with additional ones, will be seen in the ensuing description and claims which should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention according to the best mode contemplated at the present time in carrying out the invention.